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Friday, August 21, 2026
US plans $725 million payment toward its large UN debt
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The Trump administration has informed Congress of its intention to pay $725 million to the United Nations, a congressional notification seen by Reuters shows, a move aid experts say is a welcome step toward paying billions in dues owed.
The administration has criticized the global body for not living up to its potential and slashed funding to many UN agencies. When asked about the planned payment, a US official said any payments will be contingent on continued reforms of the organization and added that the US has not transferred any funds as of today.
The allocation of funds — mentioned in an August 4 State Department notification letter to Congress that has not been previously reported — comes ahead of an expected speech by US President Donald Trump to the UN General Assembly in New York next month.
UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres said this year that the UN faces “imminent financial collapse” due to unpaid contributions from member states, and the global body has brought in large budget cuts.
“Over the past six months, the United States has achieved historic reforms across the UN — reforms long considered impossible — including the first real budget cut in UN history, resulting in nearly one billion in cuts,” a State Department official, responding to Reuters questions about the payment, says in an email.
In April, Devex, a development news agency, reported that the US had set specific conditions for the release of funds, such as more cost-cutting and moves to counter China’s influence.
The $725 million would be less than 20 percent of the more than $4 billion that the UN said in May that the United States owed — though Washington has said that total figure is much lower and that it has made some payments.
The US is the biggest contributor to the UN budget, but under the Trump administration it has refused to make mandatory payments to regular and peacekeeping budgets, and has slashed voluntary funding to UN agencies with their own budgets.
Washington has also withdrawn from dozens of UN and other international agencies.
The Times of Israel Community.